Lost From Within
by sensai-chan
Summary: RESUMED AFTER A LONG HIATUS. When Kamiya Kaoru starts to work in the house of one of the wealthiest men in Japan, she starts to notice something fishy going around the owner and his three adopted sons. Espeacially when one of those sons is the Battousai.
1. Chapter 1

Lost From Within. Chapter 1: Washed With the Tide. Or was it Downey?

It was a large house with huge windows and a big door. The rooms could fit ten beds and maybe a sofa. It was big, spacious and…a big mess. At least that was how Kaoru Kamiya thought of it. She had barely begun her first job as the maid of one of the wealthiest men in Japan when suddenly she was affronted by this.

She hadn't even seen his face when she had been hired. She had been given a tour by the butler. At first she was happy to land such a good job. It included room and board along with flexible hours. The salary was a bit more than generous. Kaoru was a bit curious to what kind of sucker would actually pay her money to wash a few dishes and give her a place to live. She didn't realize the extremity to how much the guy really needed a maid.

Kaoru was petite with long black hair. She never really liked it but didn't know what else to do with it. Her eyes were a pretty blue color that she classified as her only redeeming feature. Her skin was a pale which was shocking compared to how much time she spent outside. She didn't consider herself pretty. Right now, she considered herself dead looking at the huge mess in front of her.

Kaoru began to pick up the laundry when she realized that this was all little kids' clothes. She picked up more and saw that the room itself was a bit tidier than what she realized. She walked off to the laundry room. Well, to where Kaoru thought the laundry room was.

"Hey Ugly!" she turned around to see a little kid with spiky brown hair and warm brown eyes. "That's my clothes you got there! I want it back!" Kaoru was first surprised, angry, and in awe as she stared at the little boy.

She rushed to the little boy and looked at him. He kept glaring at her.

"Oh Kami! You're adorable!" Kaoru squeezed him with all her might.

"I'm not adorable! Let me go hag! HAG!" the little boy kept yelling trying to wrench free.

"The little brat said something! He's saying stuff!" Kaoru yelled and squeezed harder.

She let him go and the little boy coughed and wheezed air back in his system. She picked up the laundry and walked back.

"Hey! Come back here!" the little boy yelled.

"Not a chance Yahiko-chan." Kaoru said as she winked to the little boy. She blew him a kiss and walked off.

The boy stood flaggerblasted as some lady walked off with his clothes, called him by his name, and even worse called him CHAN!!!!!

He ran after her and saw her putting his clothes neatly into a washing machine.

"Hey, how do you know my name?!" Yahiko yelled at the woman.

"My names not 'hey' or 'ugly' it's Kaoru. As for your name…" Kaoru rummaged through his clothes and picked up a pair of underwear. On the tag was a name scrawled in little kid writing.

"I don't know any other little boys who yell for their clothes and write their names on their underwear. Or is there another little boy living in this house named Yahiko, Yahiko-chan?"

Yahiko turned ten shades of red and stalked off fuming and muttering witch and hag and a choice of other words not allowed near her ears.

Kaoru breathed a long sigh. This was going to be a long day.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Hiko looked down the window and then turned to the security cameras. He saw Yahiko yelling at the new maid (more like the only maid in the entire house).

He smiled when he saw Kaoru counter him. He looked at the clock. It was almost time for Sano to come home. It was beginning. It was the time. She was not Yahiko's destined partner. Of all his adopted sons, she had to be for one of them. Yet, Hiko did not know who.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Kaoru walked off to the next room. It was stranger and even messier than the next. This room was dark and dank. It had a strong smell of liquor. The only way to get through was to pick up the trash as she went. She did just that. Kaoru reached the windows and opened than wide. She breathed the fresh air in big heavy gulps. She looked down and saw a limousine drop off a man. She looked up and turned around. The room was still dirty. She began to pick up more dirty laundry. She checked her watch and saw that it was almost times to take out Yahiko's clothes. She took the basket to the laundry room.

Kaoru came out of the laundry room and walked off to the same room to vacuum. Blocking the door was the tallest man she had ever seen. He looked similar to Yahiko but was a lot leaner. His hair was brown and spiky and she really didn't like it.

He looked at her intently. She backed away slowly but, to her dismay he got closer. He spoke.

"Jeez, quit looking scared will 'ya!" he told her.

Kaoru listened to his voice. She looked at him and saw that he was backing away.

"ah..." Kaoru lost her words for a second.

"Ah, what? Speak up." He admonished.

Kaoru took a deep breath and bowed. "My name is Kamiya Kaoru. I am your new maid. It is my job to clean and make you comfortable in your own home. I was cleaning you room Mr. um… Mr. um…" Kaoru babbled ceaselessly until she realized she didn't even know his name.

"Sanosuke. And don't call me Mr. or –san or –sama. I don't really appreciate it. Maid, huh? It's about time we got one. Well, wait a sec. I wanted to ask you; is that your real eye color?" He talked non-stop.

"Yes, Sanosuke-sa, I mean. Oh, wait! Yes, Sanosuke, they are my real color."

"Sano is better" he amended

"Sano?" she tested on her tongue.

"Huh, they are nice."

He then walked out of the room.

"See 'ya later Jou-chan! Don't wash the clothes in the corner it's kind of clean!" He yelled as he went out the door.

Kaoru went to pick up the clothes and inspect the ones that were "kind of clean". _He means not clean at all!_ She thought as sh held them up to her nose. _Looked not were!_

Kaoru looked around and asked her self if that was the owner of the house. It couldn't be. He didn't know she was the maid at first. _At least_, she thought, _he ought to have known who I was._

She vacuumed the room and left. Life was to confusing sometimes.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Hiko felt like running outside and pulling Sano's rooster head. He felt like shaking him. It was bullshit. _The guy gets close to her then walks off. _It was complete and utter bullshit. There was only one son left and this he felt was wrong. He hoped it wasn't him. It was the most dangerous of his sons. Yet, if one of them could be mated than it would be worth it. Hiko wasn't sure though. She looked too docile for him. It had to be her, though. There was no other. He had felt her energy and knew she would be perfect for one of them.

But him? Hiko wasn't sure. _Fuck sure, I'm positive._ He was dangerous. The most dangerous of his sons. Hiko looked at her through the camera.

"Oh, Kaoru-chan I pray that someone have mercy on you. You are going to need it."

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Kaoru wandered the house for a while she looked into the last room assigned to her. It was dark yet, surprisingly it was the clean except for the occasional dust bunny. Has someone actually lived here? Kaoru dusted and finished quickly. She walked out and saw that it was dark, raining, and ominous through the window. It was night.

She walked (ran actually) to the front door. She opened the front door to see how severe the storm was.

In front of her was a man with flaming red hair. His head was down and his thick bangs covered his eyes. She looked at him. He was trembling but not from the cold. It was as if though he was suppressing something. She walked closer to him out in the rain.

She became drenched immediately. She sighed. She looked at the man.

"Excuse me sir

She was cut off for in a second so quick she could not time it. She had been quickly taken in the house, up the stares, in the clean room, pressed against the wall, and was being kissed thoroughly.

Kaoru looked at the man. His eyes were gold and hot. He was touching her. He was kissing her.

_My first kiss! The bastard took my first kiss! _Kaoru fought and struggled but, he was too strong.

Suddenly, the man was off of her. He was in the grasp of Sanosuke.

"Hey, calm down man! Kenshin calm down!" Sanosuke yelled at the golden eyed man.

Kaoru looked closely at the man called Kenshin. He was struggling. He reached his arms towards her.

"Im so sorry Kaoru-chan."

Kaoru turned around. An elegant man walked next to her. He then walked to Kenshin.

"Kenshin, what have you done?" he asked him.

The man growled and spoke.

"HIIIIKOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! What is this? I want her." He nudged his head toward Kaoru.

"Yes, you do don't you?" Hiko answered sarcastically.

"No! I need her. She is mine. Hiko I need her so badly it hurts! What is this?" he asked again.

"I'll tell you if you promise to behave."

Kenshin grunted and took a deep breath. Sanosuke let him go.

Kaoru wanted to run out of there. But, blocking her way was Yahiko. He pushed her in the room.

"Kaoru. You might want answers too I suspect." Hiko called her.

Kaoru sat down on the bed. Next to her sat down Kenshin who immediately tried to wrap an arm around her. She looked at him, and then smacked him.

"Docile my foot." Hiko muttered. It was beginning. It was time. Kenshin had found her and she looked none to pleased. He wanted to laugh. It was all coming together.

A/N: Well? What do you think? Not Bad? Horrible? TELL ME PLEASE!!!!!!!!!! (Starts to bang her head against her computer. Stops and wipes off her bloody fore head.) Please review suggestions are always welcome. First reviewer gets a sneak peak for the next chapter! It's my first fanfic. So I need reviews for encouragement. Look for any typos. BYE! BYE! (walks off bowing)


	2. Chapter 2

Lost From Within Chapter 2: To run or not to run. That is the question.

_It was beginning. It was time. Kenshin had found her and she looked none to pleased. He wanted to laugh. It was all coming together. _

Kaoru was nervous as she sat down on the bed that mere seconds ago she had been tossed on. She scooted over as she saw the golden eyed man move close to her. She didn't trust him for obvious reasons. He tried to sneak an arm around her waist. She hit him in an automatic reaction. She shifted a couple inches more.

For some reason he didn't like that and began to move closer. She heard Hiko warn him. "Kenshin, I wouldn't make any advances to her just yet. She seems angry and a bit confused. Experience should tell you that women in that kind of an emotional state are a twinge dangerous."

Kenshin glared but, did not move further. Suddenly Kaoru was more than just a "bit" angry. She looked around the room. Sanosuke was stifling a laugh while Yahiko blushed madly. Not only had he not forgotten the incident from this morning but, seeing Kenshin kiss Kaoru had given him another layer of pink to work with.

Kaoru thought about everything as she waited for Hiko to begin talking.

_O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O___O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O _

"_Father, am I pretty?" a five year old Kaoru asked her father. _

"_My Kaoru, you are the most beautiful thing in the world." He told her as he picked her up into the air._

"_Father!"_

_O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O___O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O _

"_FATHER!" _

_Kaoru cried out to the wind and to the stars as for the first time she slept in a bed, in a room, in a house. Without her father. She was a child alone in a world filled with necessities and wants and what she most wanted now she could not have. It__broke__her__. __It__meant__trouble__it__meant__ horrible __fate__knocking__at__her__door__to__ play. __It meant that although you cried out to the wind it would not listen. However, it could toss you in ways that you could not object to._

_Father… she could no longer say that word without feeling empty. She slept waiting for the next day when others would monopolize her trying to give her decisions that she knew her father would not want. _

_O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O___O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O _

A few weeks ago, she had sat at a café, the classifieds in her hand. She had been job hunting, and house hunting. Her fathers' house had been sold without her permission by her fathers' family. She was out of work. She had sipped her coffee and occasionally glanced at the paper.

_Room and board…_ Kaoru had practically spit her coffee as she saw the words. She looked closer and read the advertisement; _looking for a full time maid. Good salary, room and board provided. Must not have any other compromises. Hours to be discussed. _

It was perfect just what she needed, Kaoru had thought. She had rushed out of the café to the interview; she had ignored the waiter who had yelled at her to pay the bill or to at least to pay for the classifieds. She was honest though; when she had returned she paid for both.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Kaoru smiled at the memory and her feelings of triumph. Yet, as she sat on the bed that a mere minute ago she had been tossed upon; she felt awkward and ironic. The whole situation is ironic. It was sick and ironic.

Kenshin sat next to her waiting for her to make a move. He looked beautiful and dangerous, a disastrous combination. _Well,_ she thought, _no matter how good looking he is he will need therapy for what I'm about to do to him. _ He caught her staring and she jumped and turned in the other direction. Cautiously, she turned around only to see a smirk on his face. She wanted to hit him again.

"Oh, Kaoru-chan, it looks like you want some answers." Hiko began to speak and his voice calmed her down. She nodded and saw Kenshin was glaring at him.

"**You** need to stop glaring at people." He said while pointing at Kenshin. The glare did not wither. Hiko only smiled. "How does it feel to be mated Kenshin; how does it feel to have your heart and stomach on fire? How does it feel to have that one person sit next to you and practically cause you pain through proximity; tell me how does it feel?" Hiko asked smugly, almost gloating at Kenshin.

"Hiko!" Kenshin growled at the man, a fierce intensity in his throat. "You knew that the minute I felt her presence, I would feel this way! You knew Hiko, you knew!" Kenshin yelled accusatorily at the elegant man.

Hiko smiled. It was all too much fun for him. He looked at Kaoru in all her bewilderment. It was hilarious! "I didn't know actually."

Kenshin was astonished. "What?"

"I am going to admit that her energy was perfect, it had everything form kindness to ferocity. I knew she would be perfect for someone, but for you I wasn't sure. When it appeared that you were the last option, I prayed that it wouldn't work. However, Kaoru-chan here can testify how much you two don't work, am I right Kaoru-chan, or am I right?" Hiko winked at Kaoru who stayed silent on the bed.

Kaoru was dumfounded. She had no idea what it was they were saying. All she had heard was mated, heart on fire, and her name. She thought back to that day in the café. _What have I gotten myself into?_

"Wait." Kaoru was aghast at hearing her own voice. _What am I doing?! Shut-up! _"What do you mean mated?" she asked.

Hiko smiled again. Sanosuke chuckled in the corner and Yahiko left the room. Kenshin glared at Hiko. Hiko kept smiling. He heard Kenshin mutter. "Don't tell her you idiot."

"Do you really want to know?" Hiko asked.

"Yes." _No. No! NO!!!_

"Is it necessary for you to know?" Sanosuke asked his voice pained.

"If you were tossed on a bed and forced into some inappropriate actions wouldn't you think it necessary?" she asked.

Sanosuke chuckled. "To be honest, I would go with the flow."

"Hiko, if you are going to tell her just tell her. But hurry." Yahiko said from closed doors.

_Tell me… if you are going to tell me just tell me. _

Kaoru nodded. "What do you mean?" she asked again. Kenshin knelt in front of her. His eyes were pained and beautiful. Kaoru felt her breath hitch. It wasn't fair it just wasn't fair. "It means you are mine. It means you're mine body and soul." Kenshin said. He leaned in for a kiss. The words became stuck in her mind. _Mine… Mine body and soul… MINE!_ He was getting closer. _Too close! He's too close!_ She thought. Kaoru felt heat in her body. She clenched her fist and aimed it at the only thing in front of her.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O__O _

She hit nothing. Her fist whistled through the air. She blinked and suddenly, there was no Kenshin, just air.

He was next to her in fact amused at her energy. He chuckled and saw her astonished face as she looked behind her.

Kaoru stood up from the bed where she sat. She calmly walked to the door. She had every intention of

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Hiko said smugly. She stopped for a second.

"You know, don't you?" Kaoru asked. "You Know what I am about to do."

"If you mean those thoughts you had about running and never looking back, then yes I know." Hiko was smug as he said it.

She was astounded. _How did he know?_ She thought.

"I have many ways." He responded. Her eyes opened as wide as they could.

"Who no what are you?" she asked. She felt Yahiko push her inside again. His face was very solemn.

Sanosuke stopped chuckling. His face became very grave. That all in all was not a good sign. It was all too confusing.

"Do you really need to know?" Sanosuke asked.

She nodded. She really did need to.

"Kaoru, we want you to swear that you won't tell anyone else." Hiko said.

Were they murderers? Would they let her go alive if she did? She mused this over in her mind. Slowly, reluctantly she nodded.

"We aren't murderers if that's what you're thinking." She heard Kenshin say. She turned around. He was still behind her, except now he was gripping the bed with all his might. She wanted to have someone hold him down. She was afraid, that he would go into frenzy if he wasn't calm.

"Kaoru, if only you knew." He muttered to himself.

"Kaoru, that is precisely why we need you here." Hiko said. "Without his mate a demon could go on a killing spree."

Kaoru's ears perked up. She had heard two words this time. _Demon and mate…_

"Of course if you don't agree, he'll continue to attack you wherever you are." Hiko kept saying.

Kaoru wasn't even listening. Finally her mouth decided to move. "Wait, what's with this demon nonsense?" she asked. "You can't possibly say this guys a monster." She continued to babble. Kenshin touched her shoulder gently.

"Kaoru, you asked what we were and we are telling you." He touched her eyes and she saw what he meant. Her eyes were closed and she saw all Kenshin wanted to say.

She heard a voice in her mind. It was Kenshins voice saying what she least wanted to hear.

_Kaoru we are demons. We are monsters. And you Kaoru, without you, I am a monster without a life. I mean this literally when I say…_

He uncovered her eyes and she heard his voice. "I need you to live."

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

A/N: Well what do you think? I myself liked it. It gave you everything. I just barely noticed I didn't put a disclaimer on this chapter or the first one so here goes (It's for every chapter too) I do not own RK and if I did I wouldn't be writing fan fiction. Please review I do appreciate them more than anything. Be sure to look for any errors and please give me any suggestions, I do appreciate those to! Thank you! Good bye!


	3. Chapter 3

Lost From Within Chapter 3: The Agreement and the Warning

Disclaimer: I have a Rurouni Kenshin poster in my box of treasures, that's as much Kenshin as I can possibly afford to own, so please don't sue. Rin Park is a fictional setting.

_He uncovered her eyes and she heard his voice. "I need you to live." _

Kaoru blinked spastically as she heard these words. She swallowed the deep lump in her throat. Kenshin let his gaze linger on her face. She was beautiful, he brazenly scanned her body and, he realized that she was far more than beautiful. _I need you to live… Need… You…._ The words kept playing in Kaoru's mind.

Kaoru looked at all of them and weighed in her mind the possibility that everything they had just told her was true. _It just can't be._ She thought; _it just_ _can't be! _She stared at Yahiko who was staring at her longingly and at Sanosuke who was leaning carelessly against the wall. Hiko kept staring at his watch as if though he had somewhere to be at three o'clock in the morning. Kenshin was staring at her yet, he was trying to keep his distance.

She wanted answers. Kaoru agreed with some part of her that demanded this. Another part demanded that she run. She liked that part better.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Hiko smiled as she ran out the door and down the stairs. Kenshin looked furious and he was immediately feeling giddy as if making Kenshin angry was his mission in life. Nothing could be more perfect!

"Shit!" Sanosuke cussed as he saw Kaoru out the window. She had already reached the driveway and was out of the gate.

"Language." Hiko reminded Sanosuke.

"Hiko, you can't possibly stand there smiling, when there's a girl, a scared out of her mind girl, who knows our secret running out the door." Sanosuke said angrily. "Or has the possibility that she might expose us not cross your mind?" Sanosuke asked.

"Yahiko, tell us where is she headed?" Hiko asked Yahiko good naturedly. Yahiko nodded and spoke.

"She's going to a house with blue doors near Rin Park. The police station isn't far from there." He responded.

Kenshin was already out the door. Sanosuke nodded and ran to accompany Kenshin.

"Wait!" Yahiko called. Sanosuke stopped. "What?!" he asked.

Yahiko looked scared as he spoke.

"Someone saw her running," He said quietly. "She is being followed by ten maybe fifteen guys. Hurry, because someone wants to hurt her bad."

With that, Sanosuke ran like the wind. Well, not exactly because Yahiko, better than anyone, knew how fast the wind truly was.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Kaoru kept running toward her fathers' house. They were crazy, all of them were. All she wanted was to go home. She saw the police station and made it her first priority. She stopped at Rin Park to rest for a minute or so. She sat on a bench and breathed.

A car stopped abruptly in front of her. She saw ten men jump out. They all stalked toward her.

"Hello there missy." One of them crooned to her. She froze when one of them sat on her bench. He made kissing noises in attempt to hustle her. She glared and got up to run when he took her hand and pulled her closer.

"Stay why doncha." The one who held her hand said softly. Kaoru pulled her hand away from him but, he still managed to hold on. "You should let go of me." She advised him, "it would be for your own good."

"Or what, will you pull me to death?" he joked. The others laughed.

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "Your funeral." She said. She threw a punch at his toothy grin. He let go of her immediately. The others surrounded her. She smiled. One of them charged at her and she kicked him out of existence. The others mainly stared. They began to come at her from all sides. She fought hard, she threw her fists and legs at all angles trying to hit them all at once when suddenly; she heard the swishing of a knife.

The one who had held her hand came closer to her he was grinning, a knife in his hand. He walked slowly toward her flicking the knife in his hands. She was shaking with fear. Suddenly, he charged for her. Kaoru waited for the knife to come plunging down.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O _O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Kenshin stood in between a knife and a beauty. Kaoru looked up. She had been pushed down by someone and she saw Kenshin in between her and a knife. He had been stabbed in her stead.

Kenshin looked furious. He looked at the pathetic excuse of a man in front of him. His eyes flared gold. The man began to shake as he saw Kenshins eyes. He looked away, Kaoru couldn't. Kaoru was at his feet when suddenly she was lifted to her own feet. She turned her head and saw Sanosuke glaring at the man whose knife was still inside Kenshin. He shook his head.

"I feel sorry for the bastard." Sanosuke said. Kaoru looked stunned. Did he not see that the guy had a knife?! He was feeling sorry for the wrong guy! Kenshin kept staring at the man. He smiled then and suddenly things began to get very warm.

"You have hurt something that belongs to me." Kenshin stated fiercely. "For such a crime you won't go unpunished."

Kenshins hands wrapped around the knife. His eyes were a fierce gold. The knife became hot in his hands. The man dropped it as it became red with heat. He looked at Kenshin with fear in his eyes. Kenshin grinned. Soon he was on fire.

Kaoru looked as Kenshin became enveloped in flame. Sanosuke looked grave as Kenshin began to burn the ground he walked on. The idiot with the knife walked backwards and fell. Kenshin was walking closer, stalking the man with terror and flames. The man was terrified; he looked to the other men and saw that they were pinned to the ground.

Kenshin began to spread and the fires began to burn when a piercing cry broke through to him.

"STOP!" It was Kaoru. She looked pleadingly at Kenshin. Kenshin turned off. **(A/N: turned off?)** He was curious.

"Why?" he asked. "Wasn't this just the man who tried to kill you? Do you feel sympathy for him? Don't you want revenge?" He pressed her.

Kaoru shook her head. Sanosuke looked at her. The ground below her feet began to shake. _He's making the ground shake. He's making the ground shake._ Kaoru repeated to herself.

"Do you see why he needs you?" Sanosuke asked her. "He can get out of hand."

Kaoru nodded. The men on the ground suddenly found they could stand and all ran for their lives. It would take years of therapy until at least one of them could step inside Rin Park again. It would take even more massive amounts of medication before each of them could swear to never having seen a man on fire.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Kaoru was in a car. Immediately afterward Kenshin had called Hiko (**A/N: I wonder how his cell phone survived)** who swiftly arrived in his car. Kaoru was in between Yahiko who looked strangely relieved and Sanosuke who kept talking about how Kaoru had almost taken down the guys on her own. Hiko was smiling his melancholy smile.

They arrived at the house and this time sat in the den, which was clean due to her cleaning yesterday. Kenshin was still bleeding, but shallowly now. Hiko looked grave.

"Did this idiot catch on fire again?" Hiko asked Sanosuke. Sanosuke smiled and nodded.

"He was probably just trying to impress Jou-chan." Sanosuke joked and winked at Kaoru.

Kaoru was lost. How could Hiko tell?

"I'm reading this idiots mind and trust me it's worse than reading the mind of a dog." Hiko scowled. "That is how I could tell and besides he's taking longer to heal then usual. His energy is low."

Kaoru shook her head. Hiko could read minds, Kenshin could catch on fire, and Sanosuke could move the earth?

"That's right." Hiko smiled. Kaoru grimaced. It was starting to freak her out. She looked at Kenshin who was hurt because of her. She felt guilty and even worse she owed him. She stared at him and wanted to help.

"There is one way you can." Hiko volunteered.

"Could you stop?" she asked Hiko. "Please, don't address me unless I speak to you. Please." She added the last please pleadingly. She wanted to test out if Hiko would do it again. _How?_

"Why Kaoru-chan I thought you would never ask?" he said ignoring her edict. "Go to him."

Kaoru walked over to Kenshin slowly. "Hold out your hands to him." Hiko ordered. She did. Kenshin grabbed her hands and held them to his cheek, he kissed each finger and Kaoru pulled away. Kenshin smirked. "I don't have to help you." She spat.

Hiko told them to hold hands. "Kaoru," Kenshin said, "this is why I need you to live."

Suddenly, Kaoru began to feel drained as if though someone was taking the energy from her. She saw Kenshin had closed his eyes and that his wound began to heal. She looked at their arms.

Her veins were glowing and so were his. He was taking something from her. Suddenly it stopped and she no longer felt drained.

"What was that?" she asked. Hiko answered.

"It was an energy transfer."

"A what?" she asked again.

"An energy transfer." Yahiko said this time. "All demons need to make this transfer with their mated partners to live. The energy has just to be just right for each demon or neither the human nor the demon survives. It looks like you are his, ugly." He sounded angry and maybe a bit jealous. Kaoru was really getting tired of Yahiko calling her ugly. It amazed her though that such a small boy could speak with such clarity.

"He is just angry that you aren't his bonded human Kaoru-chan." Hiko teased.

Yahiko blushed a shade of angry red. "I am not! I wouldn't want an ugly girl anyway."

"What kinds of demons are you all anyway?" Kaoru asked as she gave Yahiko a how-dare-you-call-me-ugly-glare. They all looked at her and they knew she believed them.

"Earth and strength." Sanosuke proclaimed proudly.

"Wind and foresight." Yahiko muttered.

"Water and telepathy." Hiko said and bowed slightly as if though proclaiming his mark of gentry.

"Fire and kinesthetic." Kenshin whispered. Kaoru became confused at the word Kinesthetic. "It means I am sensitive to touch love." He took her hands and caressed the fingers as if though wanting to memorize them by touch. Kaoru blushed and snatched her hands back.

"You're better right?" she asked. And he was; the wound was gone. "Quit groping me or I leave." That was the ultimatum. He let go.

"Kaoru-chan, are you staying?" Hiko asked.

"I'm only staying because I owe you all my life. I will give Kenshin my energy but if he so much as lays an unnecessary hand on me, I leave. I will continue to work as your maid if you will allow me too as I have no other place to go." She said informatively.

"Are you consenting to be his mate?" Yahiko asked.

"No, but I wont let him die because of me either." She said.

Kenshin glowered. No one, not even Kaoru herself could take what was his.

Hiko heard these thoughts and knew that if Kaoru wanted to survive a pure maiden she was going to need a lock on her door and he was not going to spend money on locks for the staffs' quarters. She was on her own and she knew it well.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

A/N: I enjoyed this chapter. I hope Kenshin and Kaoru will get along. They are fighting in my head as I type. Kenshin, hopefully, will behave until the day Kaoru declares she can't live without him. Hiko although rich is frugal when it comes to the decorating/house improvement budget. He secretly wants Kaoru to fall for Kenshin which is why he will neither buy a lock nor give her permission to put one. But that's all in the next chapter. Well please review I hope all of you like this chapter as much as I have. Suggestions are welcome as they are my inspiration. Thank you and good bye!


	4. Chapter 4

Lost From Within Chapter 4: The Demon Protégé

_She was on her own and she knew it well._

It all happened so fast. Kaoru tried to push him off to no avail. Yet, he was still heavy and warm on top of her. She groaned and tried again to push him off but he still wouldn't budge. She cursed under her breath.

"Can't you drink a little lighter Sano? Unlike your furniture, I complain when you pass out on me." She whined.

It was the ninth time Sanosuke had gotten home drunk. When she went to go take him out of the cab he always managed to pass out on her legs and drag her down. She finally managed to push him off when Kenshin arrived in his car. He parked and hurried to Kaoru's side.

Kaoru gave him a help me look and saw Kenshin nod in response to her pleading look.

Kenshin looked at Sanosuke and rolled his eyes. He grabbed Sano's side and dragged him inside to his room. Kaoru stood in the foyer of Hiko's enormous house and waited for Kenshins sign that Sano was okay and in bed.

Kenshin ran down quickly and gave Kaoru a nod. He left to go.

"I'm off koishi." He whispered standing close to her. He respected her "no touching or I run" rule. He respected it very well.

Very recently, he tried to enter her room; only to be welcomed by an assault of arms and fists. She was angry not only because he had almost openly defied her verdict but, because Hiko would do nothing about it. He adamantly refused to buy locks. He would not even let her install one.

They were, Hiko said, a modern inconvenience. If there was ever an emergency, he added, however would she run? Kenshin chuckled at the memory. Since then Kaoru slept with one eye open.

No matter, Kenshin assured himself, he would find other ways to make her his. After all she was his mate. He could do damn well what he pleased with her.

He lingered there until he felt her angry rising ki emanate off of her skin. He let go immediately when she attempted to elbow him.

"Will you leave me alone? I am going to hurt you!" She threatened.

He ran out the door quickly and left a trail of flame behind him as a reminder. Kaoru groaned, she sprayed water on the fire and sighed again looking at the soot marks.

"Now I have to mop again." She told herself. She finished moping quickly and went to sweep the courtyard.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

There in the courtyard was Yahiko. Yahiko was playing with a paper plane. However, unlike other children Yahiko didn't grab the plane and make annoying "vroom vroom" noises. Instead he sat looking at the plane and blowing the wind hard enough to lift it.

As Kaoru approached Yahiko she felt the light breezes come to a halt.

"Before you ask," he said. "I am controlling the wind." Kaoru looked at him still astonished that he knew what she was about to do before she did it. During the last few days, Yahiko had been amazingly quiet and curt with her. He never spoke a word unless to tell her that she shouldn't step there or that the clothes in the hamper were actually clean. Unlike the others, she didn't feel an "I am a demon and I am proud of it" vibe coming from him. Instead she got the feeling he really didn't like being a demon.

She finished sweeping and sat down next to him. The paper plane started to move again in a slow spiral as it coasted on the breezes Yahiko controlled.

"Hi." She said.

"Hello."

"So," she drawled. "You control the wind."

"Mm-hmm." He assented.

"It looks pretty cool, you controlling the wind and all." She wanted the earth to swallow her whole now. He was calm, far too calm for a kid.

"Do you practice a lot? It sure looks like you do." She continued. She really didn't know how to get a conversation going.

"Thanks." He murmured. He looked at Kaoru who was blushing red for her lack of conversation savvy and felt the need to get this conversation moving in another direction. He really felt like asking one question in particular.

"So," he said imitating her previous attempt to start a conversation. Kaoru smiled. "You're Kenshins mate."

"NO!" she yelled. Yahiko smiled wider. The plane moved higher as the breezes got stronger.

"He sure acts like you're his property. He does like to touch you a lot. I've never seen him act that way around other girls before. You don't seem to mind transferring your energy to him either."

"That doesn't mean I'm his you know what! I mean sure, I am helping him out and stuff but, I am not his mate! No way! No creepy possessive guys for Kaoru! Uh-Uh. No way Jose whoever Jose is." Kaoru continued to babble incessantly.

Yahiko smiled a bit wider and the plane began to spiral, loop de loop, and move in circles faster. She overreacted a lot and that was actually a very funny thing to see.

Kaoru saw the smile and began to tease him.

"Nice smile squirt." Yahiko turned red and the smile quickly faded.

"Go away ugly don't you have some cleaning to do! I don't remember my laundry ever making it back!" he yelled at her. The plane descended and the winds died down. Kaoru smiled and shook her head.

"Nope, no more cleaning! I even finished your laundry this morning!" she announced to the sky and the little scowling young boy beside her. Suddenly she hade an idea. She was hungry and her favorite food was going to come in handy.

Yahiko shook his head. This ugly woman needed restraint, he should call Kenshin. Yet, as he thought about this he remembered Sanosuke's description of Kaoru and the morons at Rin Park. He decided against it. Not all the winds powerful enough in the world could save him from her wrath.

"Hey squirt!" Yahiko was soon torn away from his thoughts upon hearing her voice. She was standing in front of him her hands on her hips and a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"What ugly?" he answered.

"I'm going to ignore that for now." She told him the hint of threat apparent in her voice. "You want to go get some pizza?"

"Pizza? What the heck is pizza?"

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Hiko was once again in his office admiring his now clean house through the television monitors that lined an entire wall. They were all connected to cameras everywhere in the house. (Except the bathrooms of course.) He enjoyed his cameras; he enjoyed looking through them more. He knew everything this way. Where Kaoru was, who Sanosuke had managed to sneak into the house, and which window Yahiko had busted open.

He looked through a monitor and saw Kaoru dragging Yahiko out of the house. They were headed to the Parking lot where Sano's welcome present for Kaoru sat. He looked into a different monitor. Kaoru nudged a helmet on Yahiko's head and put one on her own head. Hiko smiled as he saw them both speed away on her shiny black motorcycle.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

She was going fast. Too fast. Yahiko was barely hanging on. He held on to her tighter. He closed his eyes and saw a small store with the words PIZZA etched in bold, red letters. He saw that she was going to turn wildly right then left. However, after she turned he couldn't see anymore.

"You're making a right then a left." Yahiko muttered through the din. He already knew the direction she was going to take. Apparently, though Kaoru had not heard him.

Kaoru turned around her eyes off the road to her peculiar riding companion. "WHAT YA SAY?!" She yelled. Yahiko opened his eyes wide.

"YOU IDIOT GET YOUR EYES ON THE GOD DAMN ROAD!!!!!"

"WHAT?! YOU BETTER NOT BE CALLING ME UGLY SQUIRT!" Kaoru kept yelling oblivious to the road in front of her. Then she heard a long blast from a horn. She turned around and saw that she was headed straight for a car.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

"Jeez Jou-chan, you almost wrecked my welcome present for ya." A familiar voice scolded her gently. Kaoru opened her eyes and found herself (and her motorcycle) in the arms Sanosuke. Yahiko was on the road hands held out in fear. Kaoru's heart thumped.

"What happened? Why is Yahiko on the road? Where is the car we were about crash into? WHAT HAPPENED?!" Kaoru managed to yell and jumped off of the motorcycle. Sanosuke was holding the motorcycle with one hand. She looked at him for a while surprised. He really was strong. He was looking a bit sad now. He gently dropped the bike and pointed to Yahiko.

"Why don't you go for see for yourself?"

Kaoru walked to the road. She saw Yahiko panting heavily; his hands were held out and his eyes were opened wide; and noticed that for the first time nobody was moving. She saw the pedestrians frozen stiff and the car had stopped although the engine was warm and running. As a matter of fact all the cars had been stopped.

"Yahiko, are you okay?" she asked she put her hand on her shoulders. He twitched at the contact. She felt that there were no breezes surrounding Yahiko or herself. The boy had a preference of keeping them near. She stood stiff, firm, and mostly afraid.

"That's what happens when you stop the wind." Kaoru turned around and saw Hiko standing as cool and as elegant as ever. "You stop wind and you stop the turn of the world. You stop the turn of the world and you stop time." He stated simply.

"Time has stopped?" Kaoru asked hesitantly.

"Yes." Hiko said again. "And if we don't get this child to stop he might die."

"What?" Kaoru asked disbelievingly.

"Kaoru to do these things we require energy. Without our mates we have none."

"There must be something you can do." She said.

"Yes," Hiko stated. "We must get him to stop."

Hiko put his hands on Yahiko's shoulders. "Yahiko no one is in danger now." He said gently. "You can let it go. Let the wind GO!"

At those words Kaoru felt a breeze; a light breeze. Hiko looked at everyone who was frozen. She felt a tug and saw Kenshin pulling her away.

"Come they can take care of this." He said gently. Kaoru shook her head.

"But, Yahiko

"Kaoru." She turned around and saw Yahiko breathing hard. "Go," he said. "I wont hate you, just go." She left and saw Yahiko crying to Hiko. The people began to move unaware that there stood a boy who considered himself cursed at what others marveled to be an extraordinary gift.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Kaoru sat with Kenshin in the den. She was begging to hate this room. In this room her world changed and it was still changing.

"You noticed didn't you?" Kaoru snapped out of her thoughts.

"Yes." She stated. "Yahiko he hates what he is doesn't he?"

"Yes."

"But, he's so powerful. I mean he can see the future, control the wind, stop time, what cant he do?" she sat amazed at her own words. He was indeed quite powerful.

"He is the most talented out of the three of us." Kenshin said in awe. "However the one thing he can't do is reverse time. He can't stop who he is."

"Who is Yahiko?" Kaoru asked. "Who are all of you?"

"That koishi is a story Hiko will tell you tonight." Kenshin said.

For the first time Kaoru did not object. She then wanted to ask a question.

"Was that the first time Yahiko ever did that? Stop time I mean?" she asked hesitantly.

"No, it wasn't the first time. Yahiko only does that if the people he loves are in danger. It requires a lot of energy. That is the second time he does that."

"When was the first?" she asked.

"Hiko will tell you sooner or later." He said and walked off.

"Wait!" Kaoru yelled after him.

Kenshin stopped. He looked at Kaoru. She was crying.

"Kenshin, I want to help you all. I owe you all my life. I don't want Yahiko to hate himself. Please, I don't want anyone to hate what they are!" Kaoru continued to cry. She was sick of acting all strong. For the moment, she wanted to cry, she didn't like it. She didn't like it.

Suddenly, she felt Kenshin wrapping his arms around her. It was warm with him. He wasn't crying; just holding her.

"Oh Kaoru." He said gently. "My foolish and sympathetic koishi. Yahiko isn't the only one who hates himself. We all do."

With that Kaoru cried harder. She wanted to hug him for a while before she remembered that she hated him. Tomorrow, she would not cry, she will laugh. _Maybe, _she thought to herself that_ will help. _

Above her Kenshin felt her sympathy, her innocence and made himself a promise. This woman was going to be his. The fire she never noticed enveloping her, raged on.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

The next morning, Kaoru collected the laundry and heard a familiar yell. "Hey ugly! Those clothes are clean." Kaoru turned around and saw Yahiko scowling his famous scowl.

She ran up to him and squished him. "Nice to have you back to the living squirt." She whispered in his ear.

Yahiko struggled and then finally hugged her back. It was the only way she would let him go he told himself. **(A/N: But, we know the truth!)** Suddenly, they both heard the door bell. Yahiko squirmed free and ran to get it.

There at the doorstep stood a mild petite woman. She held the hand of a small girl. Yahiko stared at the little girl. He stared at her like she was the light in a dark room. Kaoru appeared behind him.

"Hi! I am Kamiya Kaoru, the maid. How may I help you?" Kaoru asked politely.

"Oh!" the petite woman said happily. "I am the new cook and this…" she gestured to the little girl. "Is my niece Tsubame. By the way my name is Tae." Kaoru and Tae shook hands and Kaoru escorted her inside and went to show her around.

Tsubame stood there and looked at Yahiko. Yahiko felt an impulse a burning impulse to take this girl into his arms. He saw this girl and she seemed to be that which could now drive the winds.

"Hi, I am Tsubame." She said.

Without warning, Yahiko went up to her and hugged her.

"Finally," he said. "You made it. I can live now. I can live with you. I am happy you are here."

Tsubame at first didn't know what to do. She hugged him back because; she too began to feel something deep within her besides the warm breezes surrounding her.

"I am Happy too." Yahiko hugged her tighter. She liked him and he had found a friend.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_ O O_O O_O O_O O_O_O O_O

Kaoru had finished escorting Tae who was now in a room in the staffs' quarters. She was unpacking and Kaoru wanted to show Tsubame around. She was greeted with a strange sight; she looked at Yahiko and smiled because she knew what was going on.

She closed her eyes and breathed. An image of Kenshins' golden eyes flashed in her mind and she shuddered. She turned around and saw Kenshin staring down at her a primal look in his eyes. He wanted her and she knew it. She then looked at Yahiko and knew that what Kenshin wanted would hold no gentleness or love. He wanted to have her.

He stood at the top of the stairs and she in the bottom. That was what he wanted. He wanted to have her looking up and he forever wanted to look down at her.

Kenshin wondered what she could be thinking. He saw Yahiko and knew Hiko was behind it. Just as he was behind Kaoru and him. Kenshin knew that as the wind Yahiko would completely adore Tsubame with patience and understanding. As fire, Kenshin yearned to be sated. He would not wait forever and be patient like Yahiko. He would take what belonged to him. He will adore her in his own way. Tomorrow, Hiko would tell her their story. She will soon understand.

They wanted to know what the other was thinking and they looked at one another trying to figure it out. They stared for a long time.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

A/N: Yahiko, in the manga is a minor character. In the movie _Requiem of a Meji Patriot_ we see a bit of Yahiko's internal struggle. I want him to be a real prominent character in this fan fiction. Yahiko, I think really made these chapters fly. I liked this chapter a lot. Oh but it was long. Next time I will have a bit of Kenshin and Kaoru fluff considering how fluffy this chapter was. Did anyone think the concept of Yahiko stopping time was cool? After I wrote it my brain stopped. Please review and offer as many suggestions as you can they are a treasure to me. Thank you. This plot bunny has me worn out I need encouragement before my fingers fall out.


	5. Chapter 5

Lost From Within Chapter 5: In the eye of the storm.

Disclaimer: I do not own RK only the honorable Watsuki-sama does.

_They wanted to know what the other was thinking and they looked at one another trying to figure it out. They stood there for a long time. _

Ding! Kaoru hurried to the stove only to find her last attempt at making lasagna charred beyond belief. Kaoru had been taking cooking lessons from Tae but, as it resulted, the stove hated her.

Today was an important day, her family was coming to visit her and she wanted to prove to them that she was a civilized young lady. She also wanted to spite them. Today they came to further horde her fathers' last possessions. _They just want to make sure they aren't breaking the law. As if I can fight them with that fat lawyer of theirs._ Kaoru thought.

She went to Tae's room and begged to have her make something. Tae agreed but only if she babysat Tsubame. Tae had a date tonight. Kaoru agreed and watched as Tae finished preparing a plate of fried rice, Mongolian beef, and egg and flour soup. **(A/N: These are actually my favorite foods. *wipes drool*)** when she was finished she made sure that Hiko and the others were gone. She would give her family no other excuse to steal her father's possessions. That meant no demonic yahoo from the terrible foursome.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O_ O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Kaoru sat as her family partook in the meal. Her aunt had gotten fatter and her uncle had grown ever more silent. Her cousins regarded her with the same look they gave their puppy Poi chi, one with disdain and regret. Her cousin Einishi however, stared at her with a searing gaze that reminded her of Kenshin. No, not Kenshin! He had actually been keeping his distance these days after the Yahiko incident.

She gulped and looked away. The lawyer, after the meal was over, went straight down to business.

"Miss Kamiya, your father left you his home but through a custody battle it is now in possession of your aunt. Your father also left you a large sum of money to assist you in your studies, but seeing as that you are not a student the money fell to your aunts' sons."

"That was because **her** husband is the head of business schools in the country." She sneered at the lawyer.

"Nevertheless, the only possessions of value it seems that are left would be your mothers' jewels and your fathers' swords. How will this go about?"

"Kaoru, if you give us the remaining items we have a suitable exchange that would mean you will be able to live in your fathers' house again." Her aunt said. She gave Kaoru a look that almost made Kaoru want to vomit.

Now Kaoru was interested. To be able to live in her fathers' house again would be wonderful it meant a home, but most importantly, it meant no nightmares and it meant that she didn't have to stay out of guilt to a small boy she loved. She felt an urge to say yes to whatever their proposition was. But, her current situation and life had taught her to think twice about miracle propositions.

"What do I get in exchange?" she asked cautiously. Her aunt smiled a creepy smile and Kaoru shuddered. The aunt motioned to Einishi; Einishi got up and kneeled in front of his cousin. He held her hand limply in his.

"Kaoru-chan, I will be honored if you became my bride." He said this and kissed her knuckles tenderly. Kaoru did not know that Kenshin was behind her, standing in the front of the doorway.

Kaoru was about to literally kill her cousin until she heard a growl from behind her.

"Kaoru, you lowlife of a man, Kaoru is mine."

Kaoru sighed; today was going to be a very long day. If Einishi and his proposal did not kill her, her stress would.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

He had heard it and it didn't anger him but enflame him. He knew Kaoru was having her family and their big fancy lawyer over. He had heard what they had taken away from Kaoru and what else they planned to steal from her. He was about to step in and demand they give Kaoru everything back. He would burn the fat woman to ashes if he had to.

Then he heard the proposal. Kenshin had never heard such disgusting words in his life._ Kaoru-chan, will you marry me?_ He looked at Kaoru's face and knew very well that she would say no. However, that alone would not placate him.

"Kaoru," he found himself saying. "You lowlife of a man, Kaoru is mine."

He saw Kaoru take a deep breath and calm herself down. Her aunt smirked and her cousin looked at Kenshin as if he were to kill him.

"Look," the cousin began, "I doubt Kaoru-chan, would agree with your vile statement. She is to be my wife I will have you making no such advances toward her." The man was plucky; he had no idea who he was threatening.

They stared each other down. Both were primed for a fight when they suddenly heard something both didn't expect.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

"Einishi!" Kaoru yelled at her demented cousin. "I won't marry you!"

Einshi stopped dead in his tracks. He gave Kaoru a look that told her he had never been rejected before. She continued to look at him defiantly. Her aunt gawked at the scene before her. Kenshin continued to glare at Einishi.

"Why?" Einishi asked. He began to glare at Kaoru. She was stuck now. She couldn't tell him that he disgusted her in front of his mother. That might give them more of an excuse to disown her.

She looked around hastily as if though her surroundings might provide her an answer. She saw Kenshin effectively blocking the doorway. She had an idea.

"I can't um marry because um," she paused for effect. She then walked over to Kenshin and held his hand in hers. Kenshin looked honestly shocked. "I am um already engaged."

"TO WHO?!" her aunt cried.

"I am marrying Kenshin." She held up their hands as if though in victory. Then she had an idea. "Lawyer, does not my marriage mean that I am to regain all of my fathers' property for my future generations?" The lawyer nodded to her statement.

"That is true," he informed Kaoru's aunt. "If Ms. Kamiya were to marry, her fathers' house and all of his belongings are to be returned to her." The aunt fainted and Einishi looked explosive at the moment. But, none were more astounded then Kenshin.

He about kissed her in happiness, but, oh, wait, he did. Kaoru eyes opened wide. If it wasn't for him, she would be powerless over her family. When her family left however he would need more than the fires of hell to save him from her wrath.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

The lawyer and her family left. Tae, who had heard the whole thing, profusely congratulated Kaoru. The others were not back yet. Kenshin was sitting in a comfortable chair nursing a slap. He looked in the wall mirror and saw that already the red was receding. It was because of Kaoru. Her energy healed him, consumed him, and most importantly made him want her all the more. She sat across from him looking concerned. Her lips, her touch had felt pliant and exhausted. It made him want to help her.

He had heard everything her family had told her. He had seen the way they tried to practically steal away her lively hood and her father away from her.

"Kenshin." The voice entranced him. Such a kind, tired voice. What a lovely, sad woman he had. He nodded at her.

"I apologize for involving you in this. I really do. Your family must not be put through more than it already has to deal with." She looked down and he felt her embarrassment. Her skin was a deep red. It was cute.

"Koishi," Kenshin felt himself moving closer to her. She looked up at him and her eyes were misty with tears. "Kaoru Kamiya, I am a man of my word and a man of honor." She looked at him hopefully. "I will help you retrieve your house." She looked at him hopefully. She smiled.

"Kenshin, thank you!" she moved to hug him when suddenly she found herself pinned to the wall. His face was dangerously close to hers. He only had to speak and he would be touching her lips.

"On one condition Koishi" Kaoru gulped at the intensity of his voice. It would have turned her legs to jelly if she had been standing. She double-checked. Yup, definitely jelly. He kissed her lips lightly. "Kaoru." She looked at him in the eyes. He had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Kaoru," he began again. "I want a real marriage." Kaoru didn't understand and he sensed it. He would make her understand.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Her lips were suddenly overtaken by a monster. He possessed her lips and she was shocked at him. She tried to tug at him to stop but then she surprised herself. For a second, for a split second she found herself enjoying his kiss. For a split second, she felt want. And it frightened her. He pulled away from her and smirked. He turned for the door and said in a dangerous voice.

"I said I was an honorable man Koishi, but, this is business. I want a real marriage Kaoru. That includes the honey moon." With that he ran out the door.

Kaoru was dumbstruck. She looked at her clothes only to realize that he had burned through her sleeves and a few holes here and there. Kenshin would help her by marrying her. But, he wanted a real marriage. Kaoru was not sure she could deliver. No one said it would be easy. Yet, she could not deny him this he had already saved her life, now he would save her home.

Kaoru thought about the kiss as she went to the staffs' quarters to change her shirt.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Hiko was in the house in fact. He had seen the entire thing and had called Kenshin. This poor girl was dumbstruck and there went Kenshin to save the day.

Hiko had never been surprised in his life. Yet, he could not doubt that today had been a real shocker. He clapped his hands together.

"A lawyer, a madman, and a wedding; how much more fun could I get?

Hiko wanted to run downstairs and hug Kaoru's family. But they were leaving and instead Hiko saw something he shouldn't.

Apparently, Kenshin was already enjoying his honey moon. The Bride however looked dismal in the hands of her demonic fiancé.

O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Kaoru changed her clothes and went outside to watch Tsubame and Yahiko play in the pool. Yahiko was over protective and Tsubame teased him by swimming to the deep edge. Tsubame knew how to swim, but, apparently, Yahiko didn't believe that.

The boy needed to relax or else he was getting a stroke. The wind played gently with the flowers and she knew that would be happy together.

Kaoru suddenly heard the doorbell ring and she ran to get it.

At the door was a small woman with blue eyes and short hair. It could have been a teenager if it wasn't for her business suit. Her face was pure joy and fun. Kaoru backed away, people like this were dangerous.

"Hi," she looked at Kaoru with a straight face but a twinkle in her eyes. "My name is Misao; I'm your wedding player. Are you the future Mrs. Himura?"

Kaoru invited her in and then shut the door. Kenshin, she now knew, hated to waste time. This was going to be a long day.

A/N: Yeah! Go Kenshin! Did you read that? DID YOU READ THAT?! Woo-hoo! We will have a wedding, I feel bad for poor Kaoru though. She didn't even have a chance to say a thing. I apologize for not getting this chapter out in the quickness but, I had been busy freaking out over other things. I have an announcement to make! May 1, 2010 I received an invitation to attend a very prestigious summer arts program with an emphasis in creative writing! I am so happy. I will be leaving in July but hopefully Lost From Within will be done by then. I will work very hard to finish this. I thank all of you who have been reviewing constantly. I implore you to please criticize constructively and honestly tell me what you all think. The only reason I continue this is for all of you. Thank you, kisses to all.


	6. Chapter 6

Lost From Within Chapter 6: The story you haven't told me yet

Disclaimer: I do not own RK or any related characters. Thank you.

"_Hi," she looked at __Kaoru__ with a straight face but a twinkle in her eyes. "My name is Misao; I'm your wedding player. Are you the future Mrs. Himura?" _

_Kaoru invited her in and then shut the door. Kenshin, she now knew, hated to waste time. This was going to be a long day_.

Kaoru sat in the den. Her heart was pounding as she waited quietly for Hiko to come out of his office. Out of all of the rooms in the house she had never been inside his office. His quarters were always immaculate unlike the rest of the house. It, besides his mischievous personality and natural, all-around spookiness, made her want to recoil from him.

Kenshin had told her weeks ago that Hiko would tell her their story. However, Hiko hadn't, and now that she and Kenshin were to be married she felt that she reserved a right to know. So, now she was waiting in the den in the wee hours of the night for the leader of the demons to come down and tell her their story. She waited as the demon who had tied her down to her worst nightmare arrived to give her more bad news.

Hiko was mild-mannered when it came to demon standards. He knew that too. In his entire time living among humans he knew two things: one being that humans were to weak and hateful to understand demons and two, that the best way to live among them was to be mild. That was why when Hiko came down to see Kaoru he understood that he had to tell Kaoru this information in the gentlest way possible.

"KAORU-CHAN!" Kaoru jumped at the sound of her boss' booming voice. She looked up to see him smiling mischievously. She shuddered and rubbed her arms, trying to rub away the goose bumps that had popped up.

"Hiko-san," She nodded as soon as she regained her composure. Hiko sat in front of her. "Thank you for coming." She stated as solemnly as she could.

"Kaoru-chan. You don't need to address me so formally. You are soon to be my daughter in law." At the mention of those words Kaoru blushed scarlet and tried to push away thoughts about smacking Kenshin to the farthest corners of the world.

"Call me anything you like," he continued to say. "You can even call me father." He smiled oh-so-deviously.

That's when something clicked. He was reading her mind! He was mocking her! Kaoru gritted her teeth and reminded herself that it was his family that saved her life and continued to provide for her. She was even marrying his son,though admittedly only to save her inheritance. Still he knew things that she had not even told a soul.

This was starting out the wrong way. He already knew everything about her and she knew nothing of them. Of course,she had no idea that, that was how Hiko wanted it.

Kaoru expected him to start talking then and there. Yet, when she saw him closely she noted that his smile was permanently stuck to his face. He wouldn't say a thing until she asked. She decided to make the first move.

Hiko really wanted to laugh. Kaoru had no idea how funny her anger was to him. He was right. Humans were too hateful, too angry, and too rash. They couldn't think things through.

"Now then," he said, "where shall we begin?"

"Yahiko, tell me about Yahiko." She said forcefully, her mind going back to the day Yahiko had saved her.

"You want to know why he saved you."

"Please don't read my mind. I already find hard to not want to kill you for it."

"Ah." Hiko said and his smile grew wider.

"Please, tell me who he is." She sounded vulnerable even to temper flared automatically in self-reproach.

"Even if I tell you these things how can I trust you enough to know you won't run out of here screaming, Kaoru-chan?"

"I won't Hiko-san. Just tell me. I have to know." Again with the pleading. She was really becoming embarrassed with herself.

"Fine," he conceded, "but, it won't be pretty."

Kenshin was standing above them, resting his head on his shoulders on the stair banister, listening as his betrothed pleaded with his foster father. At times Kenshin didn't understand Hiko. Then again, Hiko had always been aloof. Kenshin looked at Kaoru. Kaoru, his little fool. Why did she try to find out more? Couldn't she just be content knowing they were what they were?

Kenshin could not understand her. At times, he wondered how he could lust after,maybe even love someone who seemed so stubborn and yet fragile. He thought about how much he knew of her. Did he really even know her? Did he even like her? Wasn't it just the demonic bond that made him act the way he did? He had thought about it. However, like all things that concerned her, his mind drew up feelings of care, of pureness, of goodness. Thoughts that made him begin to think... she belonged to Kaoru. His demonic instinct told him that worthless humans did not deserve a creature that held all of these qualities and more.

The few times he had touched her body, from the first kiss and beyond he felt connected to her. It was something that ran far deeper than mates or lovers. Kenshin, who had never in his whole existence had become attached to anything, was becoming attached to her.

Kenshin from the beginning, although he did not show it, questioned himself about her over and over. Sure, she was not the most beautiful girl he had been with but, then his mind gave him generous recollections... her full lips, the feel of her body against his, and the beautiful blue eyes that captured him.

Kaoru was not the smartest girl, he mused,but she had a whole kaleidoscope of emotions. Her sadness, her anger, her fear, her concern, and her joy were a thousand times more real than anyone he had ever claimed to want.

Kenshin looked down and wondered whether this marriage was a good idea. His mind, when he had made the arrangement,had been in shock. Kenshin knew that Kaoru needed his even a marriage of convenience needed a pro for both sides. Even if he did not love her, his body wanted her. She would fulfill his needs. He wanted her and if she hadn't complied he still would have found a way to have her. He smiled as he remembered her expression as he came in from his usual business. She had appeared angry and grateful at the same time, as though she was merely refraining from hitting him. He knew calling Misao had been a good idea.

"Yahiko, had been born quite recently actually." Hiko began.

"How recent is recent?" Kaoru asked cautiously.

"Around the 1940's" he said. "During the second world war, yeah, it was around there."

Kaoru gulped the information in. "What happened?" she asked. She realized with shock that Yahiko was seventy years old. He only looked around 10.

"He had been abandoned by his mother, out of necessity. She had left him at the doorstep of some woman named Kazuya. Kazuya was her last name. I don't know her first name. Well, by the time the Allies decided to drop the bomb, Yahiko was grown and was already coming into his abilities. Due to this,he was shunned by everyone. No one wanted to be around someone that if sad or angry, could blow your house out into the next town. And no one wanted to play with someone who could tell you the day your grandfather would die. Yahiko was an outcast, all alone.

Kaoru listened intently. She nodded for him to continue.

"Well, by the time they dropped the bomb Yahiko was outside. He saw the Kazuya lady and ran inside to protect her. Kazuya was going to get hit with a beam when suddenly-

"Yahiko stopped time." Kaoru completed his sentence.

"It did nothing however, the beam still hit Kazuya and she was dead in seconds. Everyone in the town was saved for a few seconds before the blast could reach them. When Yahiko noted that Kazuya was dead, he ran and left the world to suffer its misery."

"Where did you find him?" Kaoru asked.

"In a cellar, it wasn't very hard finding him. All I had to do was ask over a kid who ran as fast as the wind. I also had to make some inquiries to the police about petty thefts in the area. He was eating a raw potato when I found him. I had to show him a few tricks before he would come with me. The kid wasn't stupid. He had the mind of an old geezer."

Yahiko knew this story all too well. The face of Kiyoko Kazuya still haunted him in his sleep. He had held on to the last of his energy and had held back his true form. However, without ever looking at it, he knew he was a monster.

He remembered the day he saved Kaoru. He had looked at her, had seen that she was safe and sound, and had seen the face of Kiyoko Kazuya. He had saved Kaoru but, not the one who had raised him as her son. Yet, as Kaoru held him the day afterward, he felt that Kiyoko had forgiven him. He had her in his dreams.

"I am sorry Ms. Kiyo." Yahiko said to the wind. It wasn't until Yahiko had fallen asleep that the wind answered him back.

"What about Sanosuke?" Kaoru asked.

Hiko laughed.

"I found him in the 70's. He had been born in 1891. He was the son of a ship merchant until he ran away from home. He had been accused of killing a man. It was actually not his fault. Stones crushed him to death. The stupid idiot had killed a servant girl right in front of Sanosuke. Sanosuke then had been spending most of his life in the underworld. I'm guessing he was a fighter for hire in the seventies? I think. I found him on account of Kenshin; my stupid idiot son had gotten into a fight for no apparent reason. Sanosuke met me and stuck around. Liked having free food I guess."

Kaoru laughed too. Sanosuke! A fighter for hire? He could barely get out of bed in the morning.

Sanosuke liked to smile at Jou-chan. She was the servant girl he had saved. When he had first met her, he saw her eyes and had felt alright. Almost as if he could be a better person. That feeling had only happened once; it happened with the person he thought was going to be with him forever. That was until he realized that he could not have her. Love her as much as he did, she wasn't for him. She could not be his mate because she had died too early and his demon nature did not want her.

It was amazing though. Jou-chan could handle Kenshin. It reminded him of a certain high spirited servant girl he had known, fallen in love with and rescued from the jaws of death. They had a lot in common. The only difference was that Miyo took care of his gifts and that Kaoru knew how to ride a motorcycle.

Kenshin had nowhere near enough goodness in heart at the moment to appreciate Kaoru's steady laughter. He could hear it though. It made him want to want to make her laugh like that made him want to be a good person. It infuriated him, this feeling. He wanted to make her laugh, but, he knew he couldn't.

How could it be that his pain-in-the-ass foster father could make her laugh, but he made her double back in fear? He made her feel uneasy, and he knew it. Kenshin was thinking way too much about Kamiya Kaoru. He knew that this obsession was not healthy. He hardly knew the girl and yet her mere presence was enough to make him want her.

She was twisting him did not know what he was becoming.

Kaoru Kamiya now wanted to know about Hiko himself. She would save Kenshin for last,marveling at the ease with which she could push him to the deepest recesses of her mind.

However at the mention of Kenshin, her mind began to supply images of him. She thought about his stubbornness, but, then she remembered the shock in his face when she had announced their "marriage" to her family. She thought about his macho factor, but, then she remembered his willingness to help her out.

Kaoru had to admit that even if she did not know him well enough to marry him, she liked him. He was an attractive man. He was kind,though clearly he had problems.

She remembered how he had held her the moment after the Yahiko incident. He had held her as if though he wanted to protect her forever. Yet, Kaoru could sense that he too needed protection. He too, had weaknesses that he refused to acknowledge.

Kaoru remembered that it was Kenshin who saved her. No, she did not love him, but after marriage, surely she would grow to love him. He wanted her, she knew that too. She was not used to male attentions but, he did not make her want to run from fear; at least not was already getting used to him.

Kaoru could learn to love him. She could learn to love the demon; she had no idea said demon was debating the same thing in his mind. He could learn to love the poor human girl.

Hiko smiled. Neither knew how much loved played a role here already.

A/N: ah sweet success. I finally have chapter 6 up. It feels really good to come back. Oh and all of you must meet my new beta, introduce yourself beta!

_**YO! *sigh* i just cannot pull that off...anyway,i'm crazyforcanines,sensai32's newly appointed beta,please read and review!**_

I love how Kaoru and Kenshin are both thinking the same thing. They want to grow to love each other, isn't that cute! I love it. Oh and if anyone was thinking, Miyo isn't Sano's mate or anything. She was just a girl he had fallen in love with. I imagine her with brown hair, green eyes, and freckles. But it would be fine if anyone has a different image of her. Tell me what you think. I have more good news by the way: I have just received a letter from the summer program: I got a scholarship to go there! Yes, I can go for free now! Adios Amigos! Sayonara! Adieu! Salut! Xie-xie! Merci! Gracias! (Thank Kami for Google translate)


	7. Chapter 7

Lost From Within Chapter 7: The story you haven't told me yet (II)

Disclaimer: I do not own RK. I have a poster of him though, and wallpaper and a plushy and a DVD set and a fake sakabatou and identical violet and gold contact lenses. Let's see this list could go on forever...

_Hiko smiled. Neither__knew how much loved played a role here already. _

Kaoru looked at Hiko expectantly,hoping to get this over with quickly. Thinking about Kenshin would make her already strung-out mental faculties worse. She indicated for him to continue.

Hiko himself was lost in thought. Should he tell his already spooked future daughter in law that her fiancée was hearing every bit of their conversation?

Hiko thought about his sanity and more importantly,the consequences,which mostly centered his face. He decided against it. He liked his looks. He decided to move on with the story.

"Well, my dear." He said mischievously. "How should we go ahead with this? I haven't told a child a bed time story in quite some time."

Kaoru smirked at him. It was her turn to smile mischievously. "I think you'll do just fine."

Hko sat back,arms folded."Oh really?"

"For starters,it's not a bed time story I want to hear. I want to know about you,Hiko-san."

His eyebrows went up."Me?" He asked incredulously. "How interesting can I be?"

"Interesting enough." She answered.

"Ask away. It seems that is YOUR forte at this moment."

She ignored his comment. _I will NOT let him in my head. _Shaking it off, she asked solidly, "How old are you?" He really looked quite young.

"Is that all?" he exclaimed. "I was expecting something more complicated out of you Kaoru-chan! My mistake,I guess, for wishful thinking."

"I didn't ask for any snide comments Hiko-san. Just your age," she answered coolly. _I wonder where that came from,_she thought giddily. One minute she was pleading and the next she was acting impudent.

"So you _do_ have a back bone!" He teased. "Kaoru-chan, didn't your father teach you to be polite?"

She stiffened. Two could play that game."Of course! He also taught me to never avoid a question." she shot back,surprised by her own nerve. She immediately chided herself. _Cool it Kaoru!_ _If you don't play nice he won't tell you a thing!_ She calmed herself down, settling for middle ground. She didn't feel like pleading any more.

Hearing Kaoru argue with herself was very funny at times, Hiko thought.

"Kaoru, if I tell you who I am and you don't like it, who will be to blame?"

"I don't to be honest, any sins you may have committed in the past don't matter to me as it seems you have done more than enough penance for them."

"Oh, have I now?" he asked sarcastically. This got her wondering at her own words again:what crimes had he actually committed that would require penance?

In truth,Hiko was shocked at her audacity. It was very refreshing to see that in a woman. He had only known one other that was this outrageous.

"Hiko-san," she tried again, hesitating. "How old are you?"

"I am not really sure. All I know is that I was born before the Meji Era. "

"What?" she spluttered, her mind reeling at the decades, perhaps centuries, behind that witty,presently amused,seemingly ageless face.

Hiko wanted to laugh at that thought. It was only a couple of centuries to him...

Hiko then found another question lodged in her skull. He was about to answer automatically, when she asked it.

"Hiko-san, did you ever have a mate?" Kaoru asked cautiously. She wasn't sure if she was allowed to ask.

"Yes." He said with reverence. _Hmm._ _Maybe she's not as stupid as I thought_. " She was beautiful, the only one so for me. Her name was…" he trailed off; Could he bring himself to finish his sentence?

"What was her name Hiko-san?" Kaoru prodded gently.

"…Kieko." Hiko was shocked. He couldn't believe he actually told **her** the name of his beloved.

"What was she like?"

"Oh, she was very naïve."

"How was she naïve?" Kaoru asked.

"She fell in love with me; so, I'm assuming that she was naïve." He laughed at the memory.

Kaoru laughed with him. Hiko could be funny and not the least bit creepy when he wanted to be.

"Kaoru-chan, hasn't my baka son taught you not to let your guard down with me? And shouldn't you have learned that on your own yet?"

Kaoru stopped laughing and looked at him. He was still reading her mind. This damn demon thing couldn't be put off for even a second.

"Kaoru-chan, I think you should wonder less about me and more about Kenshin." Hiko said. As he said this, he looked over to the staircase and moved his eyes to the right.

Kaoru nodded, wondering why Hiko was looking in the other direction.

Kenshin was listening to everything Hiko was saying. Kaoru wasn't even aware that Hiko was reading her mind, was she?

She was so innocent. It made Kenshin feel like laughing and crying at the same time. Kenshin was worried about the girl. She was too innocent. She seem to embody opposite ends of the spectrum, her pride unshakeable,and her heart fragile. What if she couldn't handle his story? What if she ran? Or worse, what if she hated him?

He wiped out the last thought. He did not care if she hated him, or loved him. It then occurred to him that Hiko, just for the sake of being Hiko, would tell her his story. Maybe she would run, and then he would be left alone. That did not frighten him. What did frighten him was the fact that she would hear it and it would be another person that knew his shame. It would be yet another person looking at him with mixed pity and disgust. He could take that from anyone. Except her.

Kenshin would not let her. She was nothing but a human. Albeit a human whom he felt an insatiable need for; the feeling was not alien to him. He did not care for her feelings, he reassured himself. It was only a fleeting obsession with a large amount of physical need sprinkled in. After all, he had gone a decade or so without a woman as real as she.

He tried to pay close attention to her reactions to get a sense of why he wanted her so badly. This was beginning to get unhealthy...

Kenshin listened as Hiko told her about his own past. Kenshin of course had known about Kieko. Hiko would not speak much about her. All he knew was that she had died.

He listened to the faint shock that was evident in Hiko's voice. Kaoru of course couldn't hear it. She was too enraptured in the story. He heard Hiko's slow chuckle. It was plainly heard in his voice that he didn't think all that much of Kaoru.

He listened as Kaoru hissed under her breath, telling herself to relax and keep calm. Kenshin could feel his heart thundering at that simple sound. All he could think about was her. Her laugh, her tears, her smile, her voice. His mind generously supplied him with visions of her. His body did not seem to know how to react to these developments.

Kenshin's mind reeled with possibilities. He could run from these feelings. He could take her, possess her for a night and see if his need for her had been sated.

He was shaken out of these musings to hear the words he had been dreading all night.

_Kaoru, I think its time you learned about Kenshin…_

"AND JUST WHAT IS IT THAT KAORU SHOULD HEAR?"

Kaoru jumped as the sound of Kenshin's voice thundered around them. Suddenly he appeared out of nowhere in front of Hiko, his eyes molten gold and his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white. Kaoru gasped as she noticed his eyes, and the phrase _if looks could kill _ran through her mind.

Hiko seemed completely unperturbed. He motioned for Kenshin to sit down, still smirking. Kenshin knew he could not let Hiko tell Kaoru everything he knew.

No one knew better than Hiko how ashamed he was of his past. Who wouldn't be, after everything that he had done?

"She needs to know Kenshin." Hiko said calmly. He knew the card he was playing. He needed both of them to realize their feelings, even if he had to play the evil step-father. Not that he minded playing the role.

"Why don't you finish with yourself first Hiko? Or haven't you told her the rest of the gruesome details?" Kenshin spoke arrogantly.

"She's not marrying me." Hiko stated brusquely.

"It's a marriage of convenience!" Kenshin growled at him. "She doesn't need to know anything about me!"

"And why is that?" Hiko asked, bemused. "Why do you not want her to know? Do you really care so much for her opinion? Has the great Kenshin Himura fallen at the hands of a mere human girl? Is she more than a human to you now? Face the facts, Kenshin."

Hiko knew what he was doing. Every question he asked pierced straight through to Kenshin's heart, gnawing at his resolve. He could _feel _it working.

Kaoru was genuinely confused. Had Kenshin been listening to everything? To top it off, he was hiding something._Can things get any weirder? _she wondered.

"Kenshin?" she tried tentatively. He looked at her with fury in his eyes.

Kenshin was struck by her voice. Such a sweet voice. He looked at her and felt the truth of Hiko's words.

Then suddenly his mind closed to the revolting idea. NO! It was not possible. He had not fallen! It was merely that she surprised him. She had caught him off guard with her pure aura, the way her innocence enveloped his darkness. It was merely the demon inside him that wanted her. It was the fire.

The fire yearned to be sated. Kenshin knew he did not choose her. A woman he might have chosen would have been smarter; less innocent, less trusting. Someone who would have deserved someone as unworthy as he.

Yet, there she sat. Looking as pure and as caring as ever. The fire raged inside him and he knew that he had to push her away. He would show her how foolish she was to think she could save him. To think she could make him fall.

"You are naive." Kenshin told her in a tone that blended anger with awe. He saw Kaoru flinch at the word 'naïve' and continued.

"Are you really stupid enough to think that you could save me? That you could help me even? You little fool, do you even know what you're doing? Have you realized all that you've ruined?" He heard his own words and did not care. She needed to hear the truth. She needed to hear everything.

Kaoru's ears were ringing. Is this what he thought of her? Both her mind and body shut down and she went slack. Her eyes lost their sparkle. Everything she had been told since her father died was right. _No one wants me..._

Kenshin expected her reaction. But he had to finish this, and not in front of Hiko. Slowly Kenshin picked up Kaoru's dazed form bridal style and ran with the speed of the gods.

Kaoru was numb in Kenshin's arms. She heard his words. What had happened to his so called honor? Kaoru could only hold on tight as he burst into his room and threw her on the bed.

That was when she came to herself.

"HEY!" she protested, trying to get up.

Immediately, he was upon her. His lips captured hers in a fiery kiss. His hands roamed everywhere. He bit her bottom lip and continued. She then realized that it was suddenly getting very, very hot. Her body seemed to heat up with each kiss.

His tongue snaked inside her mouth, cutting off any thoughts of stopping. After a good while, he stopped kissing her and allowed her to catch her breath.

"You are naïve." He told her. "So naïve that you can't even begin to guess how much you tempt me."

She could only listen; hanging on to every word; touched deeply by the truth visible in his body language. He kissed her again and she felt him release all his inhibitions.

He began to nibble along her jaw line, then kissed down her neck. He whispered at the base of her throat.

"I tried to convince myself that all this was just a charade of yours. To try and make me feel like an idiot. But I can't pretend any more. Everything about you is real. I never imagined a creature such as yourself could exist. A creature so innocent and pure that even I cannot corrupt you."

What? What was he saying? Her thoughts now drifted to the position of this intimate(a little too intimate) conversation. She struggled to get him off.

He wouldn't allow it. He pinned her wrists above her head and continued to kiss her. It didn't help her concentration.

"I tried to stay away from you. But I saw you every day. It was becoming harder and harder to resist you. I felt you through my soul and I had your energy to supplement me. Feeling you inside me, while you weren't even there wasn't helping," he continued.

"You have ruined me Kaoru. I never wanted to feel this. I never wanted any shackle upon me. I never wanted to feel this. I never wanted to feel this horrid feeling."

That was when she froze. He wasn't. No, it couldn't be possible.

He loosened his hold on her. She sat up and looked him in the eyes. He sat on the bed as well. He was looking at her pleadingly. He looked like a child confessing a crime.

Kaoru then realized that Kenshin, at this moment, was vulnerable. He slumped on her, holding on to her shirt as if it were a life line. He gripped it, as though he was undecided on whether he should rip it off or leave it on.

"Feeling?" she asked. "What feeling? What do I make you feel?"

He chuckled darkly and fisted his hands on the fabric of her shirt.

"I don't want to fall." He mumbled so low, she couldn't possibly hear.

"Kenshin?" she called softly.

He took her face in his hands and kissed her. Kaoru heard for the second time his voice in her head due to his extraordinary gift.

A/N: And cut! We will end that right there. I am sorry for the delay folks but I have been so busy with other obligations that I have forgotten all of you, my beloved readers. I also apologize in advance for this lovely cliff hanger. I know, I know, I'm cruel. Anything you want to add about my cruelty Crazyforcanines-san?

_**Still alive, are you? I was making preparations for your memorial service. Well, at least now we can all get some sleep, right? Don't scare me like that. (I know. I'm a mother hen :P ) **_

Well... I will see you in chapter 8. I would love any and all suggestions on the plot, characters, even ideas on what color I should dye my hair. I am secretly voting for green depending on what crazy thing I am allowed to do. Remember to R&R and I don't mean rest and relaxation. (Though you should get plenty of that too.)


	8. Chapter 8

Lost From Within Chapter 8: Why didn't you tell me sooner?

**Disclaimer: I do not own ****Rurouni Kenshin**

_He took her face in his hands and kissed her. Kaoru heard for the second time his voice in head due to his extraordinary gift._

_I can feel you. Even when you're not with me. Why? Why? What are you to me? I don't even know myself. I think I—_

Kenshin released her lips. He bent his head. His grip on her loosened.

"What do you mean? You can feel me?" Kaoru asked. She pulled Kenshin's hands off her shirt and he slumped on her, pinning her beneath him.

She tried to push him off, succeeding only in getting him to curl himself gently around her body.

Kaoru froze. Kenshin wasn't acting himself... He wasn't dominating her with his cast-iron strength, or forcing himself on her... Instead he was acting submissive, needy. He wasn't holding her down anymore either; instead his body was loose, draped over her. Kaoru started to worry as he became completely still; then, she heard a small snore.

He was asleep.

Kaoru sighed. He was still on top of her. She tried to push him off.

Kenshin groaned at the movement and wrapped his arms around her. She stopped moving and studied his face.

Red hair framed his face. His long lashes fringed his cheeks. He looked peaceful and relaxed due to the absence of the usual scowl.

Kaoru frowned. _He looks like a little boy._

"You make me worry about you too much." Kaoru muttered. Kenshin moved slightly in response.

_Kenshin,_Kaoru thought_ ,could you really be in love with me?_

Kaoru yawned and closed her eyes. It had been a very long night.

Kenshin awoke slowly. His head hurt and he felt really tired. He kept his eyes closed trying to avoid the harsh sunlight. For some reason, he didn't feel like getting up yet.

His bed had never been this warm, had it?

Kenshin also noticed that his pillows were incredibly soft. He moved his hands toward them.

His pillows were smaller than usual but damn, they did their job well. So well in fact that Kenshin buried his face in them some more.

"KENSHIN!"

Why was Kaoru yelling at him so early in the morning? What had he done? He was impressed at her lung power. It sounded almost as if though she was exactly in the room with him.

Suddenly, his pillows began to move. So did his bed.

Kenshin grabbed at his moving furniture with his eyes still closed. It had truly been an awfully long night last night, that it had.

"KENSHIN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"

Kenshin opened his eyes.

Lying beneath him was Kaoru with a blush on her face and eyes blazing with anger.

His hands were on her breasts.

Ahhhh… that was it.

Suddenly, Kenshin felt a sharp pain on his head. Kaoru had socked him.

"Oro?"

Kaoru loomed above him. She clenched her fist and raised it above her head.

Kenshin looked up at her. Waiting for the pain.

Kaoru dropped her fist and stared into Kenshin's eyes in amazement.

Kenshin looked at her in confusion.

"Weren't you about to hit this unworthy one Kaoru-dono?"

Kaoru dropped on her knees and stared deeper into Kenshin's eyes.

"They're violet." She muttered.

Kenshin looked at her again with a funny look on his face.

Kaoru grabbed Kenshin's face and pulled it close to her face.

"Isn't this a bit inappropriate Kaoru-dono?"

"Kenshin?" she murmured wonderingly.

His eyes had turned violet. At first, Kaoru had thought that it was a trick of the light. Now she realized that they were indeed violet.

"Kaoru-dono, would you kindly let go of this one's face? He would appreciate it, that he would." Kenshin said.

Kaoru backed away and ran out of the room.

Kenshin sat there with the same dumbstruck look on his face.

"Oro?"

"HIKO!"

Hiko had been sitting in the kitchen, downing a nice cup of coffee and reading his newspaper, when all of a sudden he heard his almost-daughter-in-law running down the stairs screaming hysterically.

She ran all the way down until she crashed into the door.

Hiko sighed, his eyes still on the paper.

"Is it that time of the month already?" Hiko asked aloud.

Kaoru dusted herself off and yelled, "I'm not on my period!"

Hiko rolled his eyes and flipped the page. "I wasn't referring to that."

Kaoru stared at Hiko; Here she was, nearly overwhelmed by panic and curiosity, at the end of her rope, and he was nonchalantly reading the comic-section!

It was actually quite a funny expression.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked. She moved closer to him until her face was practically touching the page.

"First answer me this," Hiko turned away from his paper and gave her a steady look. "What were you and Kenshin doing last night?"

Kaoru felt the blush creep back on to her face. "I…I… don't have any idea what you mean," she stammered.

Hiko smiled,a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"Now," he said, "Back to this business of you starting every morning screaming like an Amazon going to battle." He said cheerily.

Kaoru slumped and tried to remember what they had been speaking about before. _Damn mind reader and his stupid head games!_

"Good morning, Hiko-dono." A cheery voice called as it came into the kitchen.

Kaoru flinched, then turned slowly. Hiko's smile grew, if possible, even wider.

"Good morning Kenshin", he practically sang out. "Aren't you feeling chipper this morning?"

"Yes, this one is happy this morning. That he is." Kenshin replied, just as (weirdly) happy.

Kaoru marched up to Kenshin and grabbed him by the collar. She then proceeded to shove him in Hiko's face.

"What the hell does **this **mean? Why is Kenshin all- all- sweet and polite and _**weird?"**_

"So, it's that time of the month again?" Hiko commented absently, going back to his paper.

"I'M TELLING YOU, YOU HOPELESS BUFFOON THIS IS NOT **THAT TIME OF THE MONTH**!" Kaoru shrieked.

Hiko rolled his eyes. "Look at you, so self absorbed all the time. That's why you abuse poor Kenshin so much. Isn't that right Kenshin?"

Kaoru gave Hiko one of her best death glares. "You're the one who's sexually harassing me; Mr. I-wanna-know-what-you-and-Kenshin-did-last-night!"

Hiko's smile came back full force."So your admitting that you two actually did something?" he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Kaoru blushed. "NO! I'm just saying that it's none of your damn business!"

Hiko felt a sort of sting. It was _his_ house. Didn't that make anything that happened under _his_ roof his business?

"I apologize! I didn't know this was the Kamiya Residence!" Hiko hit back,angry now.

"It's not. I am just saying what happens between me and Raggedy Andy over there is _my_ business!"

"You should calm down Kaoru-dono." Kenshin said, oddly sounding like the voice of reason.

"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" They yelled at him in unison. Kenshin shrank back into his seat.

Kaoru huffed and regained her composure.

"Look," she said. "Something is wrong with Kenshin. Last night he was trying to tell me something but I guess, he was tired or something. He fell asleep and the next thing you know, he wakes up the happiest man in the world. What is going on?"

Hiko breathed and sipped his coffee. "It's that time of the month." He said. He raised his hand up at Kaoru, who had just opened her mouth to protest. "Before you start, I am not talking about you. I am talking about Kenshin's human period."

A big question mark appeared on Kaoru's face. "His human period?"

"Yes." Hiko said. He pointed to Kenshin. "At this moment in time, Kenshin is human."

"Wait, wait, wait. Hold the phone. Kenshin is human." Kaoru pointed at said red-headed guy.

"Yes, I believe so. We all turn that way eventually." He said.

"Is he going to be human the rest of his life?" she asked. She really didn't know if she could handle this goofy persona every morning. It would drive her crazy. After all, cheerful people were dangerous.

"I'm not entirely sure." Hiko said. "He could be this way his whole life."

With that being said Hiko left with a cup of coffee in one hand and his paper in the other.

Kaoru slumped in exhaustion as Kenshin happily handed her a cup of coffee and then proceeded to wash the dishes, humming all the way.

Kaoru sank down further into her chair. She prayed to whoever was up there that Kenshin would not stay this way for long. It would drive her crazy. She downed her cup of coffee and then proceeded to let herself be swallowed by the chair.

Hiko sat in his big shiny office as he patted himself mentally on the back for a job well done. He turned to his monitors and stared at all of the bustling activity. Sano had just arrived, now flat on his back on his bedroom floor, Yahiko was playing house, albeit reluctantly, with Tsubame. And Kenshin, Kenshin was finishing off the dishes while his moody fiancée slumped in a chair.

"I should have told Kaoru," he said to himself while staring at the slouching young woman on the screen, "He might be better by tonight. You never know. After all, who said demons were predictable?" Hiko smiled and swiveled his chair to his desk.

Hiko had been playing the part of the idiot for far too long. He began to doubt whether Kenshin and Kaoru would ever get together.

He sighed. No matter; he could always let destiny handle those two. Then he grinned; a couple more laughs at Kaoru's expense wouldn't hurt though.

Hiko turned back to his monitors. Kaoru had gone back to work, Yahiko was dressed in pink and Sano was passed out in his room, back from another bachelor's spree.

Hiko continued to stare at Sano.

After a long pause, Hiko smiled a devilish smile.

Maybe it was time to trim the rooster's feathers once and for all.

A/N: Well, well, well. That one sure took forever. Not to worry folks. Just click on the little review button and I'm sure you'll be amazed at how quickly I update. Why, because now I have permanent access to my computer! YAY! I can update every other week now! However, folks, I must apologize. I hadn't forgotten my dear readers but, when you win a $40,000 scholarship, you must start applying to colleges. Let me tell you this is a very long process, therefore I sort of stalled on everything. I am sorry! Crazy-for-canines, I must apologize to you too! Do you forgive me?

_**CRAZYFORCANINES: *depressedly huddling in a corner* It's a loveless world...**_

I hope to update soon. Really soon. So see ya!


	9. Chapter 9

Lost From Within Chapter 9: The Roosters Feathers

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Happy Bunny

A/N: Its been so long. Senior Year is stressful and the only time I have to write is late at night. As my grandfather would say, Excusas! Excusas! Excusas! Translated into: Excuses! Excuses! Excuses!

Maybe it was time to trim the roosters' feathers once and for all.

Sanosuke of course new nothing of what was happening. He happily sped away in Kenshin's car, smiling and ha-ha-ing all the way to his favorite bar, already thinking of the blonde and her sister the brunette he had met the other day.

The blonde's freckled face reminded him of Miyo and the brunettes' come-and-get-me-world attitude reminded of Kaoru.

Kaoru. He did not know what it was about her that made him always think of her. Was it because she reminded him so much of Miyo? Or maybe it was that he had never met a girl who could handle him and his dirty socks the way she did?

He couldn't tell. All he knew was that she belonged to Kenshin even if she herself did not want to admit it. He stopped at a red light and continued driving when it turned green.

Sanosuke knew that his was a very subtle gift. He had control of the earth, yet the earth was its own entity, moving of its own accord, if Sanosuke were to move it faster or slower than it was supposed to be moved calamity would occur.

Therefore, Sanosuke kept himself calm. He drank to repress his anger and laughed when he was sad. He could not be like Kenshin or Yahiko, acting up at every opportunity, for he knew that the weight almost literally rested on his shoulders. The weight of the world.

He saw his favorite bar and parked in front of it. He opened the door and banged it up against another car. It was Kenshin's, so, who cared?

He walked right in and was pleased to see that nothing had changed. The same band played every night, they were too popular to let go and this bar had cost Hiko quite a bit of money to maintain.

Sano pulled up a stool. He was pleased at how grown up the people were in this quiet neighborhood bar. Yes, he thought, no bratty clubs for Sagara Sanosuke. He had gone to a couple clubs in town and had seen how young the people were, they might as well have been underage!

He sat down on the stool and ordered the regular, hot sake. He downed it fast, but savored the sharp biting flavor. Oh yeah, this was the life.

All of a sudden, a young woman with long black hair and plump red lips sat next to Sano. She grumbled and roughly screeched the stool away from the bar table. She was frowning. She was wearing medical scrubs. Her hair swiveled around her and she looked around the bar, daring every man inside to try and get on her good side.

Now, normally, Sagara Sanosuke would order sake for a grumpy young woman and proceed to lift his eyebrow as she stared at him in wonder. He then would wink very sexily at her and say with a downright smug expression, "on the house." _(A/N: He learned this from good ol' Hiko!)_ Said young woman would then look at him with an expression that just read "my savior" and Sanosuke would have his entertainment for the evening.

However this young woman was different. Sanosuke noticed how she had come in. She wanted someone to know she was having a bad day. She wanted someone to notice her.

Therefore Sano did not buy this young woman a drink; instead he smirked in her direction and called to her.

"Having a bad day Nurse-san?"

The woman turned around to him. She glared at him for all it was worth. Sano noticed her name tag.

Hi! My name is Dr. M. Takani! I am always happy to see you!

Not a nurse then, he thought. Sano smiled. The Happy Bunny on her scrubs declared the exact opposite.

Oh crap! You're trying to cheer me up, huh? _(A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own Happy Bunny. Message was adapted from a bumper sticker found on the back of a senior citizens scooter and a guitar.) _

"I'm not a nurse, I'm a doctor, you moron!" she said bitingly. Clearly, Sanosuke thought, this kitten has claws.

"Oops." Sano smirked. "Now like I asked, are you having a bad day Doctor Takani?"

The doctor turned a brilliant shade of red in anger and not in embarrassment. "How do you know my name?" she asked.

Sano pointed to her breast. The doctor followed his hand. At first, she thought he was pointing to her breast, but then she could see that he was pointing to her name tag.

"It says it right there." Sano said. The young doctor pointed to her tag. Sano made a gunshot gesture. "Bull's eye," he said.

The doctor laughed nervously. _For a moment_, she realized, as her heart-rate slowed back down, _I thought he was some sort of a stalker. _

"I bet I can guess your first name." Sano said with confidence.

Doctor Takani smirked and forgot her fury. "Oh really?"

"Yeah, I can." Sano was pouring on the charm. This woman was interesting. Not like Kaoru with her spunky ways and not like Miyo with her kind manner. No, this woman was all cool and collectedness. A mixture of fire and ice so potent, it gave him shivers.

"Go on," she said, "I dare you."

"Is it Melanie?"

"Nope." She said.

"Mariah?" he guessed.

"Does it look like I want you to touch my body and put me on the floor?" _(A/N: I will be very unhappy if none of you get this allusion.)_

"Ummm…."

"Never mind." She said all of a sudden. "I don't want to know."

"Good, cause I was just about to ask if you were serious."

The doctor laughed.

Sano loved this woman right now. She was fun, sexy, and smart. Not afraid to banter and tease.

"Are you ever going to start using real names?" she asked.

"Meghan?"

"Your close."

"Meg."

"Are you serious?"

"No."

They both laughed this time.

"Do you give up?" she asked him slyly.

"You got me, Doctor Takani." He said, putting his hands up in defeat.

The doctor stuck out her hand. "Name's Megumi. Megumi Takani."

Sano took her hand. "Sanosuke Sagara."

When he touched her hand, Sano felt a strong impulse give way into his skin. Something coursed through his veins and…it felt good! It felt... immensely good.

Megumi was feeling drained. This strange man was taking something from her and he was reveling in it. What surprised her the most was that she loved this. She loved this feeling.

Sano quickly let go of her hand and caught the doctor as she was about to faint from exhaustion.

He looked into her tired and questioning eyes.

"No way."

Sanosuke watched as she slumped against him.

No way! No way! NO F-ING WAY!

Sano ran out the door with the doctor in his arms.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked drowsily as he carried her out the door and out the way of the stares of the bar guests.

"Someplace where no one can see us." He answered hastily. He reached his car and opened the door to the back seat and placed her inside. He jumped into the front seat, closed the door and sped away.

"But, I don't wanna have sex yet." She protested weakly.

Sanosuke's face turned bright red. He was not expecting that so quickly.

"Umm…Is that what you want?" he asked. What did one do with a mate anyway?

"No," she said drowsily. "I want you to buy me a drink first. So turn back."

"Huh?"

"You heard me hot stuff, buy me a drink!"

She already sounded drunk! What did she need a drink for?

Sanosuke ignored her complaints and continued to drive to his house.

Megumi watched out the window. This was not her house, this was not her car. Why did she feel so tired and drunk? She only drank a glass of water before leaving the hospital.

She looked at the driver of the car. He was so handsome, although his hair did remind her of a rooster. But, he would keep her safe. She knew it. How, she did not know.

The car suddenly stopped abruptly. Megumi jerked forward.

Sano could not take all of this confusion anymore. If he was going to have a mate, then he was going to start fresh.

"Megumi-san, get out of the car."

Megumi obliged wondering what her rooster headed protector wanted. He better not be planning to ditch her on some mountain road.

Sano got out of the car too. He looked at Megumi and saw that she was walking steadier now. That was a good sign.

He took her by the hand.

"Megumi," he said. She faced him, still looking faintly intoxicated from God knows what.

"Sanosuke."

"You must promise me to believe everything that I am about to tell you?"

Megumi looked at Sanosuke with a look on her face that could only be translated to a very uncompromising "are you serious?"

Sanosuke sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"What is this about?" she asked, her voice rising in suspicion.

"Just promise me that you won't freak out."

Megumi began to walk backwards. She had heard of this kind of thing on television. This handsome guy was probably a murderer bent on killing beautiful doctors.

"Are you going to kill me?" her voice rose. She felt her back touch the car door. She tried to open it but the door remained shut.

Sanosuke walked toward her. "No, I'm not going to kill you."

"PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!" Megumi screamed.

"Dammit woman, I'm not gonna kill you! So quit screaming!"

Megumi stopped screaming and looked at Sanosuke. He was holding his head in his hands and glaring at the ground.

"I…I…I believe you." She said all of a sudden. "I promise, I won't freak out but tell me what it is that you have to say."

Sanosuke continued to glare at the ground. "Why tell you?" he said. "Might as well show you."

Megumi stood their confused. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Megumi, look down" he instructed.

Megumi did as she was told.

What she saw defied every living notion she had been born believing.

A/N: At this moment in time I want to thank all of you for sticking with me this far. You are all a bunch of kind people who helped me make it to chapter nine. I am honestly happy with what I am doing right now. I am so happy that I want to give you all some very good news! I WON A $40,000 SCHOLARSHIP TO WHATEVER COLLEGE I WANT TO GO TO! YAY! Cyber shots on me you guys! Crazy for Canines you get a bunch of cyber chocolate from me! You are one freaking awesome person!

_***weeping tears of absolute f-ing JOY***_

_***falls asleep abruptly in fetal position***_

Once again, thank you all. All of you are the best bunch of AU, RK, Demonic Romance fans I have ever had the privilege to write for. If this sounds like an obituary, I'm sorry, I'm not dying yet! LOL...


	10. Chapter 10

Lost From Within Chapter 10: Sanosuke: The Earth Mover

**Author's Note**: Now, many of you may have been wondering. Where has sensai32 gone? Has she died? Did she somehow publish the book she's been working on and abandon us forever? Has she completely ditched the world of fanfiction and has left us pondering whether Kenshin and Kaoru will end up madly in love? HOW WILL I GO ON? Well, no, to all of them! I have been on writer's block for a year and finally am getting my footing. By the way, college starts in like a month, I am finally getting a new laptop with permanent wireless on it, and you have all been saved!

"_What she saw defied every living notion she had been born believing."_

Megumi was standing on the ground that she knew. What frightened her was the fact that the ground beneath her feet was in the air! The earth under her feet was floating, and where was her supposed savior? He was staring up at her with the biggest grin on his idiotic rooster headed face.

"Get me off of here!" she screamed.

Oh, Sano was scared. In fact, the only reason he was grinning was because he knew that the minute he let her down she would beat the dear ever loving crap out of him. Yes, he was a rooster headed idiot. But, despite his questionable intelligence, Sanosuke let Megumi down gently.

Surprisingly, Megumi did not beat intelligence into our dear rooster head, in fact, very much in line with Sano's second guess, Megumi fainted at his feet.

"Well," he mused. "This is awkward." He gently bent to pick her up and carefully arranged her in the passenger seat of his car, chuckling.

Of course, he knew Hiko was involved. Hiko was always involved. The man knew what everyone was doing 24 hours of his immortal life.

But Sano didn't mind; at least not much.

"Hiko sure knows how to pick 'em." He mumbled.

Shotgun, Megumi was dreaming of a nice cold margarita with all the trimmings. However, instead of being in her hands, it was floating on a boulder; and atop the boulder, sitting lotus style, was Sanosuke, grinning his devilish grin. Megumi stirred in her sleep.

When Sano heard her mumble his name, a small smile crept on his face.

In her dream, Megumi did not know what she wanted most; the margarita or the earth mover.

Sano was having fun listening to Megumi sleep-talk as he drove. His name was said more than once and it made him secretly glad.

All of a sudden he heard three slurred words.

"Nah...Margarita...more." Megumi turned her body on the seat.

Sano was not sure what she was dreaming, but he got the feeling he'd just lost.

In the end, it didn't matter actually, he reasoned. For in many ways, he had just won a lot more.

Megumi sighed and in her head a certain rooster head was smiling as he kissed her, his mouth tasting richly of her favorite beverage.

"Yes," she muttered incoherently, "Margarita more."

While Sanosuke was busy learning about his heart's desire's love for fruity alcoholic drinks, Kaoru felt as if though she could make do with a bit of alcohol minus the fruity part. In fact an entire bottle of moonshine would do the job well enough.

All day, she had put up with an unfailingly gentlemanly, respectful, and downright _moral_ Kenshin.

_And it was pissing her off_; to the point of insanity and desire for death via alcohol.

"Miss Kaoru you don't need to wash all those dishes. This one will do it for you."

"Miss Kaoru, let me do the laundry. You need not soil your lovely hands with Sanosuke's dirty clothes."

"Miss Kaoru, you should not."

"Miss Kaoru, let me."

"Miss Kaoru, you don't have to."

"Miss Kaoru."

"Miss Kaoru."

Miss Kaoru! Miss Kaoru! Miss Kaoru!

He was driving her crazy! Another word from Mr. Goody-two-shoes and she was sure she'd end up cheerfully whacking him over the head with a mop.

Kenshin had just finished cleaning the bathroom with a toothbrush when he came by to refill her glass of lemonade as she lounged in the den with her feet up on a comfortable ottoman.

Well, she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

All of a sudden, Sanosuke came in with what looked like a dead girl in his arms. Kaoru got up off the chair and rushed to Sanosuke who was staring at Kenshin; and indeed he should have been since it was downright unnatural to see the usually scowling, angry, feral Kenshin wearing a pink apron with a kerchief around his head, and smiling.

Yep, the smiling was definitely the weirdest part.

Sanosuke paused, and looked at Kaoru with what seemed to be sympathy.

"It's that time of the month again, huh?" he asked.

Kaoru puffed up like an irate cat and let loose. "You come in here after being gone all of yesterday with the catch of the night in your arms and simply expect me to..." She paused, processing what he said. "Wait, you know about this?" she asked.

"Yeah, he should be back to normal in, say what time is it?" Sano answered, looking around for a clock and completely forgetting the unconscious woman in his arms.

"7:00 in the morning." Kenshin volunteered happily.

"What time did you find him like this?" Sano asked Kaoru.

"7:00 in the morning yesterday." she replied.

"Well, he should be back to normal in 3...2...1..."

Suddenly, Kenshin dropped like a sack of bricks where he stood, and as he thudded to the ground, the woman in Sano's arms came around, blinking.

Megumi registered that she wasn't in her apartment with her cat Domino, and as she regained awareness she realized that she was in someone's arms. Her eyes moved to the man on the floor, the raccoon girl in jeans with a glass of lemonade, and the face of her earth mover. Who was, in fact, the one holding her.

Wait, the earth mover!

Megumi jumped out of his arms and stared at Sano. It was silent for a beat, and then she screamed. After a second or so of screaming, she demanded to know what was going on.

Kaoru then understood. She watched as Megumi was calmed by a very patient Sano and then made to sit down on the ottoman as Kaoru relinquished her lemonade.

"Mate?" she asked Sano curiously.

"Seems like." he replied.

"Oh god, Sano, you showed her the flying rock trick, didn't you?" Kaoru asked with a shudder. Megumi looked at Kaoru with suspicion. Clearly, the raccoon was in on it.

"While she stood on it." Sano bragged.

Hiko came down to enjoy his morning. He took in the scene before him and promptly started laughing. Almost everyone in the room glared at him until his amusement tapered off into chuckles and finally settled into a grin. Then there was a distraction in the form of a low sound from the forgotten body still on the floor.

Kaoru rushed to Kenshin's side as he twitched and slowly opened his now golden eyes.

"Kaoru," he mumbled. "What happened? Weren't we in bed? Who is that? Why am I wearing pink?" He seemed honestly confused and more than a little hazy.

Kaoru, who for some time now wanted payback for last week, simply smirked and said in a teasing voice:

"But, I like you in pink."

Her sultry tone brought to Kenshin's face, for the first time in centuries, a blush.

Sano smiled and Megumi, caught up in the moment and forgetting that she was going insane, motioned to Sano.

Sano looked at a now very calm Megumi and moved over to her.

She tugged on his shirt until their faces were on the same level.

"I get the feeling that no matter what is going on, I get to be as cute as the raccoon girl and her boyfriend with you."

Sano smiled as she continued.

"If that's so, bring it on." Megumi said. "But, still, what's this about being mates?" she asked in a falsely innocent tone. Not that Megumi wasn't sharp when she had to be, but the calm and the serenity those two in front of her made her feel was truly puke-inducing; besides, she was with her Earth Mover, the one who saved her, why shouldn't she feel calm?

Sano blushed and Hiko, who had been enjoying the scene from a distance called to Megumi.

"I can explain that right now Dr. Takani." He watched as shock flitted across her features. "Please," he motioned, "come with me."

Megumi and Sano followed Hiko to his office; effectively leaving said raccoon girl and a certain fire demon to smile at each other on the floor. Neither of them in love with one another, or so they said.

Yet, far away, in a house that had once been called the Kamiya Residence, a certain spoiled white haired demon, who was not really a demon at all but a devil in disguise, plotted. Certain, that he would make a specific black haired beauty his own, and still managing to destroy her red-haired fiancé at the same time.

A/N: So, there is Chapter 10, and I must apologize. It seems that the more I wish to update, the more reality, writer's block, colds, and awkward moments appear. So, to anyone and everyone that reads Lost From Within, thank you. Thank You to Crazy for Canines! I truly adore thee and every one of my readers!

_**Sorry for the delay, you guys! Real Life is getting crazy busy this time of year for everybody, I guess!**_

I am really enjoying this here character development, though I must say Megumi I feel is way out of character, you guys tell me, does she seem spot on to you? And if she doesn't, is she better this way? Well, once again, college is starting and more reliable internet will be provided, which I hope also helps my updating/update droughts for a while. My favorite part if anyone couldn't guess was when Megumi was dreaming about Margaritas. Being a person who doesn't like alcohol at all, I feel that perhaps at least a margarita would be very Megumi. Please, read and review!


End file.
